1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to drop-on-demand printing, and more specifically to inkjet printing. The invention includes devices and methods for purging gases becoming entrapped within an ink concourse between an ink supply source and an ejection point at the nozzle tip.
2. Background of the Invention
One of the major problems with on-carrier tank systems (“chiclet systems”) concerns the accumulation of air within the ink filter tower. If an ink reservoir is run too low, or left out of the printer for an extended period of time, air may accumulate within the filter tower and block ink from reaching the nozzles; i.e., starving the chip. These conditions will result in premature printhead failure. Several causes are known for the accumulation of air within the ink concourse and include, without limitation, air permeation through the ink supply conduits, air forced into the ink supply conduits resulting from the exchange of ink tanks, as well as dissolved air within the ink that comes out of solution. Therefore, there is a need in the art to develop devices and techniques for obviating air accumulation downstream from an ink filter.